Pumping mechanism for vacuum-cleaners.



R. B. HUTGHISON- PUMPING MECHANISM FOR VACUUM CLEANERS. APPLICATIONFILED JUNE 24, 1912.

Patented July 8, 1913.

' Il /4rd WITNESSES, 47 MENTOR MW ,l @M @M MM Wwmw coLuMnm l-LANonQAPnC0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

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tll tlillfll) b TA'lES Ptilitilblll ()Fidlttllil ROBERT B. I-IUTCHISON,F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PUMPING MECHANISM FOR VACUUM-CLEANERS.

Application filed June 24, 1912.

To all ur/mm, it may (zomnrnv:

ive it known that I, ,llonnn'r ll. ll u'rouison, a citizen o'l theUnited States, residing at ll ilkinslmrg, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefullinproven'ients in lum 'iing iiechanism :lor Vacuuni-Cleaners, of whichthe 't'ollowing is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in vacuum cleaners.

It. consist of a portable apparatus operable by traction and comprises ahollow cylindrical body or barrel having at its forward end a suctionnozzle, at its rear end a. pair of siiipporting wheels and a crankshaft, plunger mechanism and valves controlling the circulation ofinduced air currents in operative connection with said crank shaft andwith relation to a middle valved partition or head, a removable dustbag, and an operating handle, together with other features of detailconstruction and improvement as shall be more fully hereinafterdescribed.

In the drawings Figure it is a view of the device in side elevation.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the device. ll ig. 3a similar sectional view showing the plunger mechanism in reversedposition. Fig. 4t is a treat end of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view on the .line V. V. of Fig. 3.

The body portion of the cleaner consists of a cylindrical barrel portionor case 2 of sheet metal provided at or about its middle with atransverse stationary head 3 fixedly secured to the shell or barrel 2 byscrews 4, or otherwise, the device being provided with an operatinghandle 5 of any desired length having the bifurcated or forkedextren'iity consisting of the sides 6. The terminals of these sides arepivotally connected at about the middle portion ot' the apparatus by thescrews ustuds 4: which extend through the shell and into the head 3, asindicated.

The rear portion of the machine is mount ed upon wheels 7, 7, theperipheries of which are preterably provided with rubber tires, orotherwise formed to provide for good traction upon the surface of theliner. The wheels 7 are 'tixedly attached by their hubs to the outerends of crank-shaft 8 having a middle crank portion 9. The rear end ofthe eylimler 9 is closed by a cap '10 of sheet Specification of LettersPatent.

,leatented July 8, 1913.

Serial No. 705,487.

metal tightly tilting around the end ol the main case to which arefixedly connected the bearings for shaft 8 in the same manner as thatshown in my prior application, tiled April 1t), 1912, Her. No. (389,780.The said application shows a structlure which gen erally similar, butembodying bellows mechanism. The rear side portions of the shell 52 areslotted, as indicated at it tor clearance of the bearings so that whenthe. cap inserted in position, the bearings are fixedly located and theparts are connected in operative relation. The cap 10 is secured uponthe rear end of shell 2 by means of bolts and nuts 14, ()ptIllIlgS tobeing provided through the cap for the double purpose of providing forair circulation and for manipulation ol the bolts and nuts in connectingthese parts.

At the trout end of the casing 2, I provide a removable head 16 havingat its lower portion a nozzle terminal 17 longitlulinally slotted acrossits middle portion, as indicated at 18, ot ample width to cover thedesired tloor area, and communicating with the interior oil the case byan upwardly and inwardly disposed circulating passage The head It; ispreferably provided around its inner edge with a packing ring or coverat any suitable material set in an annular receiving groove and istightly clamped against the end of the case by securing screws 2t havinglinger tern'linals. as shown, said screws extending through slotted earsprojecting outwardly at each side of head It) and threaded intosuitz'ible receiving lugs 23. lly this construction, upon loosening thescrews 521, the head 'lti may be slightly rotated or released tor accessinto the int crior, and as readily replaced.

l n\\-'ardly beyond the outer end ot the case .2 is a. transverseimperlorate partition 27, soldered or otherwise secured to the case,between which and the outer end at the case is provided a sullicientreceptacle 1-0 to! the dust collecting bag 28. Said bag is mounted upona circular tlrame 29 which bears inwardly against an inner annularshoulder 30 making a sulliciently tight lit with the interior ol thecasing to prevent the passage of dust. The frame 29 is provided with atransverse bar 31. by which it may be read ily grasped for removal orinsertion.

The transverse head 3, which is prc'terably o'l" wood, is of amplethickness to provide a spectively, which are preferably made of sheetmetal in two circular sections, formed to provide an annular receivinggroove for an inserted packing ring 36, and oper-.

able to create air suction.

Packing ring 36 for each piston is prefe ably rectangular in crosssection, of comparatively soft rubber like cushion rubber or othersimilar material, and is loosely mounted in the annular cavity 35 withits ends abutting or overlapping diagonally, and having suflicientresiliency to maintain it normally distended into contact with the innerfaces of the shell.

The head 3 is provided with a transverse port 37 communicating by acentral. port 38 and an outer bypass conduit 39 with the dust bagcompartment40 beyond. the partition 37, as clearly shown. The conduit 39may be of sheet metal orother suitable mate rial'and of any desired formin cross section, and its function is to establish continuouscirculating communication bet-ween the chamber40 and the interior spacesa, 7), re spectively, between the head 3 and reciprocable pistons'33 and34, alternately'during the operation of the device. The port 37 throughhead 3 is provided with flap valves 41 and'42 respectively, of anysuitable material as rubber, leather, etc., preferably having circularthickened body portions connectedby a flexible neck with a securingportion of the flap valve by which it is secured, as shown, to head 3.

Each piston 33 and 34 is likewise provided with a circulating port 43and 44 respectively,'which are also covered on their outer sides withsimilar flap valves 45 and 46, re spectively. The case 2 is likewiseapertured, as at 47, between head 3 and partition 27 for outwardcirculation of air.

The rear end of plunger 32 is connected in any suitable manner, as by aclevis 48 of sheet metal or other material and a two-part link 49 withthe crank 9. The link 49 may be of hard wood in halves secured togetherby screws or bolts 50 and embracing the crankshaft 9 and a pin 51extending transversely through each side of the clevis 48.

For the purpose of maintaining plunger 32 in alinement centrally throughthe head 3, I provide at each side of the head surrounding tlie'plunger,series of ball or roller 'bear ings 52, 52, mounted within surroundingbushing rings 53 and retained by cover plates 54, 54. The middle portionof the head 3 snugly embraces the plunger 32 without any unnecessarybinding by which con struction a practically air-tight fit is securet.Due to the ample thickness of head 3 and the alining action of bearings52, the plunger 32 is retained centrally in position at all timesindependent of any lateral thrust due to its connection with theactuating crank 9.

Due to the construction and arrangement of the working parts, thewheels, crankshaft, cap, link, pistons, plunger and head 3 are connectedas one unitary structure, and may be assembled and applied to themachine or taken away therefrom by merely remov ing screws 4 and 4 andbolts 14.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from theforegoing description.

The weight of the case 3 and its contents by the pivotal mounting uponthe axle shaft causes the nozzle to remain in close operative positionover the floor surface. By merely manipulating the machine to and fro byits handle, the suction heads and 34 are operated back and forth andeffect a strong suction in each direction through conduit 39, the dustbeing arrested in the bag 38 and the incoming air escaping through theopenings 14 and 47. The use of plunger-s 33 and 34 with their looselymounted resilient packing rings effects efficient suction by tightengagement with the inner cylindrical wall of the case, avoiding thenecessity of supplemental bellows, without undue friction.

The device is very easily manipulated; it is simple and compact inconstruction and sufficiently low to be passed. under beds or otherarticles of furniture; and is very durable and strong and not liable toget out of order.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a vacuum producingapparatus, the combination of a portable cylindrical casing having atone end a suction opening and at the other end a removable apertured capprovided with journal bearings, a crank shaft mounted in said bearingshaving supporting wheels, a middle transverse partition having valvecontrolled ports opening at each side thereof and communicating with thesuction opening, and a central reciprocable plunger extending throughsaid partition connected with the crank shaft and provided with a valvedpiston at each side of said partition, the crank shaft and its connectedparts forming a removable unitary structure, substantially as set forth.

2. In a vacuum producing apparatus, the combination of a portablecylindrical casing having at one end a suction opening and at the otherend a removable apertured cap provided with journal bearings, a crankmounted in said bearings having supporting wheels, a middle transversepartition having valve controlled ports opening at each side thereof, aconduit outside of the casing communicating with said ports and with thesuction opening, and a central reciprocalole plunger extending throughsaid partition 10. :Inavacuum producing apparatus, the combination of ,acylindrical casing'having a middle transverse head provided with atransverse valve-controlled port andv a. cen tral bearing openingyaremovable suction headhaving an intake opening,1apartit-ion betweentheasuction head andithe zilllClCllG head providing an vair chamber and1a suction cha1nber,.a filter removabl mounted in the air cha-mberyaconduit connecting the air chamber and said valve-controlled port, aremovable closure for the otherv end of the casing having axle bearings,an axle mounted. therein having supporting wheels and Ya crank, and areciprocable piston inothe suetion chamber having a stem extendingthrough the central bearing opening. of the middle:transverse head vandconnected with the axle crank,substantially as set forth.

11. In a vacuum producing apparatus, the combination'of aportablecylindrical casinghaving at one end a bearing portion providedwith a suction opening and having atthe other end an vapertured cap andjournalbearings, a crank-shaft mounted in said bearingsand havingtraction wheels supporting the other endofthe apparatus, amiddle:transverselpartition within the casing having valve-controlledports opening at each side thereofand communicating with the suctionopening, and a central reciprocable plunger extending through saidpartition connected with the crank shaftand provided with a valvedpistonat each side of said partition, the crank shaft-and its connected partsforming a unitary structure, substantially asset forth.

:In testimony whereof-Ihereunto affix my signature in1the presence oftwo witnesses.

ROBERT B. HUTCHISON.

lVitnesses C. M. CLARKE, FREDK. S'rAUn. k

Copies of-this patent-maybe obtained forfi-ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner-of:Patents Washington, 1). Ci

